1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clip package for a clip application apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a clip package for a clip application apparatus, in which a clip assembly including a clip is used for the medical purpose of tissue clamping, and an operating wire can be fastened to a proximal end of the clip assembly easily and reliably.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
Tissue clamping is known as medical treatment of a lesion in a gastrointestinal tract by use of an endoscope. In the clamping, a clip device of a small size is used to clamp the lesion for the purpose of hemostasis, suture and the like. A hemostatic clip application apparatus for the tissue clamping is entered in the body through a forceps channel of an endoscope, and clamps the tissue with the clip device at a distal end thereof. The hemostatic clip application apparatus includes a flexible sheath, an operating wire and a handle device. The flexible sheath of a cylindrical form is loaded with the clip device. The operating wire is fastened to a proximal end of the clip device within the flexible sheath. The handle device is manually operated for driving the flexible sheath and the operating wire.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,814,742 (corresponding to JP-A 2002-191609) discloses a method of loading the flexible sheath with a clip assembly by use of a housing which contains the clip assembly including the clip device and a fastening mechanism engaged with a proximal end of the clip device. In the loading method, a shaft head for hooking is disposed at a distal end of the operating wire protruding from a sheath end of the flexible sheath. The shaft head is inserted through an opening formed in the housing, set at a proximal end of the fastening mechanism, and pressed and fastened to the fastening mechanism by moving the operating wire in an axial direction. After the shaft head is fastened to the fastening mechanism, the operating wire is pulled to draw the clip assembly out of the housing for introduction in the flexible sheath. This is effective in loading of the clip assembly by simple operation of moving the operating wire back and forth in the axial direction.
The operating wire is shifted in the axial direction for pressing the shaft head into the fastening mechanism according to a known method of fastening the operating wire to the clip assembly. This requires suitable positioning of the fastening mechanism and the shaft head in relation to a radial direction. However, the operating wire has such a high flexibility that the shaft head at the distal end extends unstably. Operation of positioning of the shaft head and the fastening mechanism requires much labor. For example, if the position of the shaft head of the operating wire is different from the position of the fastening mechanism in the radial direction, no fastening is successfully carried out even by moving the shaft head toward the fastening mechanism. It is necessary to move back the operating wire and then to advance the operating wire for next positioning. If the shaft head is pressed on the fastening mechanism in offset positions in relation to the radial direction, failure in fastening is likely to occur due to an error in the engagement.